This is the last time I'll abandon you
by you.cant.kill.heroes
Summary: "Do you know what becomes of the Grey Warden who strikes the killing blow?"…"No? They die."   Song-fic, Alistar/PC


Disclaimer: Bioware own everything, even my ickle Alistair :(

It's been a long time since I played the endgame, so I apologise for any mistakes. On my first ending I was DISTRAUGHT when Alistair left me! Enjoy

The song is Muse - Stokholm Syndrome

* * *

"Alistair!"

"You will not meddle in this Morrigan. She has betrayed me, the Greywardens and Duncan by letting him become our brother."

"Can you not think of one reason why you may need him?"

"Need him? There is not one thing on this earth that I would ever need that traitor for."

"Do you know what becomes of the Grey Warden who strikes the killing blow?"

…

"No? They die."

_I won't stand in your way  
Let your hatred grow  
And she'll scream  
And she'll shout  
And she'll pray  
And she had a name  
Yeah she had a name_

Elessa Cousland was stained with taint, covered so completely that it coursed through her veins; there was also blood, she was unable to tell whose it was, it could have been hers, her comrades, it didn't matter. Her hands were already red with the lives of many, those she couldn't save. Alistair's blood. She didn't know if he was alive, Elessa hoped with all her might that he had fled, escaped this abomination that was the blight, but then, how could he? Yet a large part of her wished he was here, pouring out all of his hate, telling her how he loathed her so, how he wished Loghain dead; at least then she would know he was breathing.

Her thoughts became lost as she fought her way through wave upon wave of darkspawn, each gruesome face melding into the next, until she was no longer fighting individual monsters but one large hoard; a faceless, nameless evil that is was seemingly impossible to vanquish.

_And I won't hold you back  
Let your anger rise  
And we'll fly  
And we'll fall  
And we'll burn  
No one will recall  
No one will recall_

On the recesses of her vision the Archdemon took flight, circling the castle. Elessa ran, following it's path, hoping to reach it's landing place and bring a swift end to the battle. Her desires were not met as she watched in a dull horror as Riordan leapt from a tower she had not even seen him climb. Everything from then happened so quickly. Riordan met his target but something went wrong. There was a flash of dark and red light that rained down across the rooftop battlefield, Elessa's mouth hung open in shock, she had not even realised until a single drop of rain landed on her tongue. Tasting the copper she spat in revulsion and determination.

_This is the last time I'll abandon you  
And this is the last time I'll forget you  
I wish I could_

There were now only three Grey wardens left in the whole of Ferelden; and one of them had left her to do the job on her own. Looking towards Loghain she knew she had to keep him away from the Archdemon, even if Morrigan's magic didn't work and Logahin met his death upon killing the archdemon, Elessa could not allow him to be remembered as a hero. And as the Archdemon took residence on the rooftop, she saw a way to bring the blight to an end.

_Look to the stars  
Let hope grow in your eyes  
And we'll love  
And we'll hate  
And we'll die  
All to no avail  
All to no avail_

Elessa drove her sword deep into a Hurlock that was about to cleave a mace straight through Loghain, sending dark fluid across his armour. Sensing the danger too late Loghain turned, meeting only the dead eyes of his would be assailant. Dropping the Hurlock to the ground, Elessa's sword fought a new foe desperately, whilst she tried to stay close to Loghain.

"Loghain, you see those ballistas? On the towers surrounding the Archdemon?"

She was met with the sounds of clashing swords before Logahin was able to reply.

"You would have me fire them?"

"Yes, find Morrigan and Zevran, get them on the others."

"And what of you?"

There was one clear moment when their eyes met, and nothing needed to be said. Each nodded to the other and they departed fighting their separate ways through the waves of darkspawn.

_This is the last time I'll abandon you  
And this is the last time I'll forget you  
I wish I could  
_

The Archdemon fought to raise it's wings in one final effort to escape, but the ballista's had done their damage. Blood began to pool at Elessa's feet as she wrested her way onto the neck of the Archdemon. And as she raised her sword, ready to chance her life for that of Ferelden time seemed to slow. Tears began to collect in her eyes, in recognition that this was indeed the end of the blight, and everything she had fought for had come to fruition, but the one soul that had kept her going throughout all of it was lost. She wept for the loss of Alistair, for now the blight was over she was sure to never see him again.

Then, time started again, she brought her sword down, as hard as she could muster, but she found herself being thrown from the Archdemon, falling in a messy heap metres away.

"No!"

Elessa scrambled to find her feet, to stop the Archdemon from taking flight, when suddenly there was a blinding light; she thought she had died. When the light faded she found herself on all fours clutching at her sword, staring at the black pools of blood that covered the stones beneath her.

"I-I'm not dead…Elessa?"

_This is the last time I'll abandon you  
And this is the last time I'll forget you  
I wish I could  
I wish I could_

Recognising the soft voice in an instant Elessa threw her head up, looking towards where the Archdemon lay, and with even more urgency and strength than she had been able to find during the battle, she launched herself up, and straight into the embrace of the man she had lost.

Breathing deeply she whispered through her tears,

"Alistair."


End file.
